Mayor vows to keep One Fund going

Erin SmithSunday, June 30, 2013

Hundreds of marathon bombing victims will receive payouts from nearly $61 million tomorrow thanks to generous donors to The One Fund Boston, and Mayor Thomas M. Menino said he hopes to keep the charity effort going to continue to help victims in the future.

“There’s no deadline for donations,” Menino said yesterday as he pledged to re-evaluate victims’ needs in September.

In all, 232 victims are expected to receive letters about their payouts tomorrow — the same day victims are expected to receive bank wire transfers for the funds, said Camille Biros, deputy fund administrator.

The One Fund Boston is distributing $60,952,000 to victims, said Biros.

“We used the entire balance as of Wednesday night,” Biros said. “Whatever new money comes in will be up to the board of directors and the mayor’s office on how to distribute it. Whatever they do, will be for the benefit of the victims.”

The decision to keep The One Fund Boston going is unusual when compared with similar charity efforts. The funds for victims of the Colorado movie theater shooting and the Virginia Tech shooting closed after the money was distributed, according to Biros.

Money continues to pour into the fund as people organize benefits such as a torch relay today from UMass Dartmouth to Boston, and One Run for Boston, a cross-country relay race that started in Los Angeles and will end today in Copley Square.

Menino, who established the nonprofit with Gov. Deval Patrick in the wake of the marathon bombings said he has some concerns about other needs the victims could have in the future.

Payouts are based on the severity of a victim’s injury.

Double amputees and families of those killed will receive more than $2.1 million, while victims who lost one limb are slated to receive more than $1.1 million. Victims rushed to the hospital in the aftermath of the terrorist attack will receive a range of payouts based on the length of their hospital stays. A victim who spent up to 32 days hospitalized would receive $948,300, while those injured who were treated and released at emergency rooms will be given $8,000.

Four died and more than 260 were injured in the deadly April 15 twin bombings and Watertown manhunt.

James D. Gallagher, a top executive at John Hancock Financial Services, is currently president of the nonprofit, while Michael Sheehan, chairman at marketing agency Hill Holliday, serves as treasurer, according to the organization’s filings.